The Weeknd Sued for Trademark Infringement Over ‘Starboy’ Comic Concept

According to TMZ, comic book writer Eymun Talasazan has alleged the Canadian singer-songwriter poached an idea from a character he invented in 2015, also named Starboy, after their potential collaboration to marry his hero with The Weeknd's alter-ego fell through in 2017. Even so, the site states Talasazan moved to file a trademark on Starboy the same year.

Mind you, the Grammy winner dropped his album — which shares the same name of its smash single — Starboy in November 2016. Though he wouldn't announce his comic book project with Marvel until following October, which eventually published in June 2018.

However, Talasazan maintains the "Call Out My Name" performer's comic "had a near identical premise as the one he pitched" to the musician the year prior. Additionally, TMZ makes mentions Talasazan was apparently in talks to develop a "story arc and additional characters" with the departed Marvel Comics co-creator Stan Lee back in 2016.

The writer's attorney, Kirk Schenck, told the site: "This is not a case about who created or first used the term 'Starboy.' This case will decide if a songwriter automatically (without filing a trademark application) obtains trademark protection for all lyrical uses of a word, even if those later uses have nothing to do with albums, song titles, music or lyrics."